The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-04-02
The County Roads.

some change in the system of con
structing and repairing the public
roads. The american Progress, pub
lished at Ellicott City. Nd. says:
Every seldom do we have the OPP.
portunity to record such an evidence
of intelligent public generosity as
that manifested by Mr.. John c. La
than, a native of Hopkinsville,
KY, who has given $4,000 to be
used in mscadamizng the public
roads of Christian county. of which
HopkinsviIle is the county-seat. In
a few hours the merchants of Hop
kinsville added $4,000 to the fund
contributed by Mr.. Latham. In no
other important respects is America
is inferior to Europe as in the COM
paratiye wretchedness of our roads.
1t is possible to walk on a smooth,
hard and beautiful road from one end
of Europe to the other. This fruit of
civilization is almost unknown in our
country, which is proud of its mod
ern improvements. Our best roads
are miserable at certain seasons, and
such roads as are the rule abroad are
not considered here to be within the
possibilities. Good roads are of the
greatest value not only for transport
tation, but for health and comfort.
encouraging exercise in the open air.
st is a selft-evident fact that
Howard county is one of the most
favorably situated counties in the
east, agriculturally speaking. With
Washington city on the Southwest
ing market is afforded, and there is
no reason why the farmers of this
county should not enjoy prosperity
impossible in districts less fayOrably
situated. Doubtless the farmers have
realized this fact years ago, and are
endeavoring to improve their Oppor-
tunities. as shown by the increased
value of the land and the numerous
evidences of farm thrift to be seen
here and there throughout the coun.
try. Barring the few miles of turn
pike in the county, the roads during
the important part of the year annu-
ally present insuperable difficulties
to the farmer, and much work that
should be done is left undone, caus-
ing waste of time and money which
would be of incalculabe advantage
if it could be applied to road-making;
we mean matchmaking. If every
county road could be thoroughly
turnpiked it would be laying the
foundations broad and deep for future
prosperity. How can this be done,
some one may ask, in the present
weak financial condition of the coun-
ty? We are already taxed more than
we desire to be. After the war in
the South there were many churches
which said we can never support a
pastor, and there were many districts
ready to give up in despair when
they viewed the wreck around them,
but there was a common interest at
stake, and by united effort they got
there to use modern laconic ex-
preston. The work of macada miZ-
ing Howard county could not be
accomplished all at once. 1t would
have to be done by piecemeal. Let
the county concentrate all the work
and expense on one district until it is
thoroughly finished. Take the poorest
district in the county and then let the
commissioners note the enhanced
value of the land in that district
the assessable value of real estate, if
you please"
The Port Tobacco Times makes the
following suggestion: I'm CONVEX
sation last week with an intelligent
citizen of the State of Ohio, we
learned from him the practical oper-
alton of the efficient public road sys-
tenn of that thriving State. There,
though the counties are subdivided
by the government surveys into
well-defined townships, the town
ship system of local government, ex-
cept to very partial and qualified
extent, does not obtain. The county
commissioners levy, collect and dis.
burse all local taxes, and superintend
and manage the general affairs of the
county. But each to wnship of SO
square miles is subdivided into at
least four road districts. The people
of each township elect annually
road supervisor for each of these
small road districts. By the cOnsti.
tuition or laws of the State every
male citizen between the. ages of 81
and So is required to perform two
days of gratuitious labor on the pub
lie roads when called upon by the
supervisor of his district, or in lieu
thereof pay the sum of 50 so. 1t is